Wine.com Quick Facts

Professional Ratings: 97 The Wine Advocate, 91 International Wine Cellar

Region: Rioja, Spain

Varietal: Tempranillo

Other Info: Collectible Wines

Item no. 74517

Winemaker's Notes:

The Artadi estate was created in 1985 by the dynamic visionary winemaker, Juan Carlos Lopez de la Calle. His objective and vision was to seek and nurture the concept that Tempranillo, when cultivated at high altitudes, low-cropped, and from old vines, produces extraordinarily rich, deeply colored, and profound wines. This, coupled with specific barrel treatment (with minor American oak influences) produces one of Rioja's most exciting new wines. Artadi is about purity of deeply extracted fruit with almost Burgundian textures, sheer power, complexity, and startling finesse! The results have have been astounding.

Critical Acclaim:

Aged 18 months in 100% new French oak from 75-year old Tempranillo vines, the 2001 Pagos Viejos is one of Spain’s greatest wines. A singular red of extraordinary stature and intensity, it exhibits an inky/ruby/purple color as well as a luxurious bouquet of lead pencil shavings, black and blue fruits, espresso roast, and floral notes. This full-bodied, dense 2001 possesses layers of flavor, a sweet integration of tannin and wood, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. Drink this riveting Rioja between 2005-2015

97 Points

The Wine Advocate

Bright red-ruby. Flamboyant nose combines cassis, black pepper and smoky French oak. Sweet on the palate but with lovely cut, thanks to firm acidity. flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes with building tannins and strong oakiness.

91 Points

International Wine Cellar

Related Links:

Learn More About the Winery

The Artadi estate was created in 1985 by the dynamic visionary winemaker, Juan Carlos Lopez de la Calle. His objective was to seek and nurture the concept that Tempranillo, when cultivated at high altitude, low-cropped, and from old vines, produces extraordinarily rich and profound wines. This, coupled with specific barrel treatments (with minor American oak influences) produces some of Rioja’s best wines.

Artadi is about purity of extracted fruit with almost Burgundian textures. In fact, critics have often compared these wines to the top wines of Chambolle-Musigny and other top appellations of Burgundy. The key to this level of elegance comes from the cold wines of the Pyrenees which blow from the north. This coupled with moderate temperatures tend to make these wines a study in elegance and power, the iron fist in a velvet glove if you will. They are some of the most extraordinary examples of Tempranillo in the world.

Learn More About Tempranillo

Tempranillo(temp-ruh-NEE-oh)

Grape that Reigns in Spain
Most often associated with Spain,
Tempranillo
is the backbone of wines made in the well-known Spanish regions
Rioja
and Ribera
del Duero. On the scale of light to heavy, Tempranillo lands towards the light
side. It tends to be higher in acid and lower in alcohol - common for Old World
wines - and perfect for matching to food.

Notable Facts
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries are backed by a rustic edge. Tempranillo takes well to oak, and many Spanish wines from thsi grape will spend a few
years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumer. Spanish wine laws are very specific about
ageing wine, both in barrel and bottle. Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add
that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel.
The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly. Additionally, Tempranillo blends well with Garnacha, a match particularly popular in Ribera del Duero. Some winemakers in Australia are also experimenting (quite successfully as we've tasted) with Tempranillo plantings, as are those in California and other New World regions.

Learn More About Rioja, Spain

(ree-OH-hah)

This highly regarded area of Spain makes some of the best Tempranillo-based wines in the world. Once the only DOCa (recently joined by Priorat in 2001), Rioja is divided into 3 sub-regions: Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa. There are 4 red varieties and 3 white varieties allowed in the Rioja DOC. Tempranillo definitely takes center stage, followed by Garnacha (Grenache)), which is sometimes added for body, then Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan). The region also makes roses. For whites, the main grape is Viura (or Macebo), producing fresh, early-drinking wines. Malvasia, the grape that was once the most planted white, is found less often.

Notable Facts

The Rioja wine trade is somewhat confusing. Grapes are typically brought to a merchant's bodega from one of the 20,000+ growers in the region, or via a cooperative. The wine is then bottled and labelled by that bodega. Rioja's Consejo Regulador keeps track of all vineyards and bodegas to make sure they are following the DOCa regulations. Put in place to ensure quality, the system also controls prices.

As with the rest of Spain, the wine label may state Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva, depending on barrel & bottle maturation. Crianzas are usually found within two years of the vintage and offer fresh, ripe wines. Reserva and Gran Reserva will be found a few years after the vintage, as the bodega will be aging the wines in barrel and bottle before release. Both typically show more secondary characteristics of spice and oak ageing.

User Reviews:

anne pickett (4/14/2014)

Fantastic modern style Rioja... made from a blend of Tempranillo from their oldest vineyards and aged in French oak... big and well-balanced, it is drinkable now or you can keep in the cellar for another 10 years. Very Special.